Surry County sees six overdoses in one day; officials concerned about increase in heroin use

Surry County sees six overdoses in one day; officials concerned about increase in heroin use

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Updated: 6:15 PM EST Feb 2, 2018

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WEBVTT UP WITH ARECORD NUMBER OF OVERDOSES.REPORTER: OFFICIALS IN SURRYCOUNTY SAY IN JUST ONE DAY THISWEEK, SIX PEOPLE OVERDOSED.>> IT IS A HUGE CONCERN.SIX OVERDOSES IN ONE DAY IS TOTHE EXTREME.REPORTER SINCE JANUARY 1, SURRYCOUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENTDIRECTOR JOHN SHELTON SAYS FIRSTRESPONDERS HAVE RESUSCITATED 16PEOPLE.THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEAMOUNT OF HEROIN THAT'S STARTINGTO APPEAR ALL ACROSS TCOUNTY AND BELIEVE SOME OF IT ISMIXED WITH FENTANYL.THIS STUFF IS VERY DANGEROUS.WE'VE HAD SOME VERY SERIOUSLIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS AS ARESULT OF THAT, AND WE ARE GOINGTO BE WATCHING IT VERY CLOSELYTO SEE IF WE CAN FIND OUT WHEREIT MAY BE COMING FROM.REPORTER SHELTON SAYS SINCE THEFIRST OF T YEAR, THREE PEOPLEHAVE DIED FROM OVERDOSING.HE SAYS INVESTIGATORS AREMAPPING VARIOUS LOCATIONS TOFIGURE OUT WHERE THE DRUGS ARECOMING FROM.>> THE PROBLEM IS THESE GUYSMOVE FROM PLACE TO PLACE TOPLACE, AND THEY ARE VERY SMARTWITH THAT.SO WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO TRACKOR LOCATE WHERE ALL OF THIS ISCOMING FROM, IN MANY SITUATIONS,THEY MOVE CONSISTENTLY TDIFFERENT PLACES TO KEEP LAWENFORCEMENT OFF OF THEREPORTER: SHELTON SAYS IT'STHOSE WHO KNOW WHERE THE DRUGSARE WHO ARE KEY TO HELP TURN-- KEY TO HELPING TURN THISEPIDEMIC AROUND.>> LAST YEAR IN SURRY COUNTY, ITTOOK 55 LIVES, YOU KNOW,COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE,WHICH WAS 32.THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, 40.THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, IN T30'S.SO TO SEE THAT CONSISTENT RISENOW THAT WE'RE HAVING IS ASTRONG CONCERN FOR WHAT WE'REGOING TO SEE FOR THE REST OFTHIS YEAR.

Surry County sees six overdoses in one day; officials concerned about increase in heroin use

Already one month into the new year, counties across the Triad are experiencing record overdose numbers.

Officials in Surry County said this week, they responded to six overdoses in just one day.

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“It’s a huge concern,” John Shelton, Director of Emergency Management for Surry County, said. “Six overdoses in one day is to the extreme.”

Since January 1st, Shelton said first responders have resuscitated 16 people. They’re concerned about the amount of heroin that’s starting to appear all across the county and believe some if it is mixed with Fentanyl.

“This stuff is very dangerous. We’ve had some serious life-threatening conditions as a result of that and we’re going to be watching it very closely to see if we can find out where it may be coming from,” Shelton said.

Shelton said since the first of the year, three people have died from overdosing. He said investigators are mapping various locations to figure out where the drugs are coming from.

“The problem is, these guys move from place, to place, to place, to place and they’re very smart with that,” he said. “So when you’re trying to track or locate where all of this is coming from, in many situations, they move consistently to different places to keep law enforcement off of them.”

Shelton said it’s those who know where the drugs are that are key to helping turn this epidemic around.

“Last year in Surry County, it took 55 lives. Compared to the year before, which was 32. The year before that, 40. The year before that, in the 30’s,” he said. “To see that consistent rise now that we’re having is a strong concern for what we’re going to see for the rest of this year.”